Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How will Amazon’s new Bellevue layoffs reshape the local tech job market?

And on the Bellevue Patch calendar - Leah Rudick at Forum Social House in Bellevue

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Hi there, Bellevue! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☀️

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In today's newsletter:

  • How will Amazon's new Bellevue layoffs reshape the local tech job market?
  • Which Bellevue programs are quietly powered by this low-profile Medina foundation?
  • Why state workers rallied in Bellevue for a new contract

Also on today's calendar: Leah Rudick at Forum Social House in Bellevue and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is the 1 way to guarantee winning a small fortune at the casino? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Clouds giving way to some sun, with a high of 73 and low of 59 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Afternoon rain, temps: high: 69, low: 54.
  • Thursday: A brief shower or two, with a high of 66 and low of 52 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Amazon to permanently lay off 121 workers in Seattle, Bellevue amid ongoing AI push (komonews.com) — Amazon plans permanent layoffs that will hit workers in Bellevue, Seattle and Sumner starting October 1, adding to thousands of local tech jobs already cut during its AI-focused restructuring. The piece outlines prior Bellevue-area reductions, explains how state rapid-response teams will assist affected employees, and raises concerns about broader economic impacts on the region's tech-driven economy.
   

2. Aven Foundation (insidephilanthropy.com) — Bellevue schools and nonprofits are receiving substantial support from the Medina-based Aven Foundation, including a six-figure grant to Bellevue Schools Foundation and funding for Bellevue LifeSpring and local housing groups. The low-profile funder focuses heavily on education, housing stability, behavioral health, and medical research in the Puget Sound region, and quietly accepts concise petitions from aligned charities without a formal application process.
   

3. State employees stage walkouts in fight for new contract (kiro7.com) — State employees with the Department of Child, Youth and Families rallied in Bellevue as part of coordinated walkouts demanding higher pay and better staffing in contract talks with Gov. Ferguson. Local workers say severe shortages are driving overwhelming caseloads while they try to keep Washington children safe, with negotiations continuing toward an Oct. 1 deadline.
   

4. A Cannon That Shoots Salmon, Was Invented In Washington (kw3.com) — A Bellevue-based company, Whooshh Innovations, is getting fresh attention for its quirky yet practical "Salmon Cannon," a pneumatic tube system that helps fish bypass dams across Washington. The piece dives into how the invention works, its massive daily capacity, and the playful reactions it's inspired, while inviting readers to share other oddball Washington-made creations.
   

5. 600,000-pound trains now crossing Lake Washington on 'floating rail bridge' (interestingengineering.com) — Light rail trains now connect Bellevue and Seattle across Lake Washington via a groundbreaking floating bridge on I-90, giving riders a smooth commute over a highly engineered structure. The story unpacks how Sound Transit and WSDOT solved massive challenges of weight, motion, and stray electricity to safely run 600,000‑pound trains on a shifting concrete pontoon system.
   

📸 Around Bellevue

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Bellevue

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events
    Wednesday September 2
  • Confidence in Conversation: Beginner and Intermediate English Learn
    Lake Hills Library 15590 Lake Hills Boulevard, Bellevue, WA 98007
    4:00 pm
    • Thursday September 3
  • Bilingual Kaleidoscope Play & Learn / 仁⼈双语幼⼉乐园
    Newport Way Library 14250 SE Newport Way, Bellevue, WA 98006
    10:30 am
    • Friday September 4
  • Story Time at the Garden for Preschoolers
    Bellevue Botanical Garden Sharp Cabin, 12001 Main St., Bellevue, WA, 98005, United States
    10:00 am
    • Saturday September 5
  • Journaling the Garden
    Bellevue Botanical Garden Sharp Cabin, 12001 Main St., Bellevue, WA, 98005, United States
    9:00 am
  • NPA Fall Plant Sale
    Bellevue Botanical Garden The Aaron Education Center at the , 12001 Main St, Bellevue, WA, 98005, United States
    10:00 am
    • Monday September 7
  • Path of Grief - Support Group →
    Online
    6:00 pm
    • Tuesday September 8
  • Westminster Language Academy Fall Quarter Begins - 10 week course →
    13646 NE 24th St, Bellevue
    9:30 am
    • Wednesday September 9
  • Medicare 101 Workshop - IN PERSON →
    Overlake Medical Center, 1035 116th Ave NE, Bellevue
    9:30 am
  • Fuel Your Heart: Nutrition to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease →
    Online via Zoom
    6:00 pm
    • Saturday September 12
  • Snowflake Lane Dancer Auditions →
    827 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue
    10:00 am
    • Saturday September 19
  • Harvest Festival →
    Bellevue Demonstration Garden -- King County Master Gardeners, 15500 SE 16th St, Bellevue
    10:00 am

📣 Bellevue Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Looked up while we are sitting in the backyard and saw the sun backlighting dahlia.
    Put my iPhone on a tripod, sat down and used a 3 second delay on my Apple Watch to take this image. This by far is the single image I'm delighted to… (Nextdoor Somerset)
  • Hi neighbors!
    Any recommendation for a landscape designer can help with a small project? Looking for plants, shrubs and grasses recommendation for front yard. TIA!… (Nextdoor Lochmoor)
  • Verizon posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate in Bellevue. Apply here.
  • Baxter posted a job opening for Senior Manager, Business Development, CCS & FLC (M&A, Venture, Licensing, Deals) in Bellevue. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bellevue here.

Ok Bellevue! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: By starting with a large fortune. (Thank you Kourtney Z. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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